Bottle-filling apparatus



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1 A. GRA?. BOTTLE FILLING A PPARAC-ITUS.v

Paten N0. 532,235. Jan. .8 1895.

JCL

FWZ. e;

A TTOHNE YS.

Taz uonms PETERS no.. PHoYaLrHo., WASHING-mu. 'm c.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

- AGRAP.

BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS.

Patented Jap.

W/TNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

AUGUST GRAP, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

BOTTLE-FILLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,235, dated January 8, 1895. Application led November 22, 1893. Renewed November 13, 1894. SerialNo. 528.619. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST GRAP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Filling Apparatus, of

- which the following is a specification.

The bottle-filling apparatuses heretofore devised served well the purpose of bottling distilled liquids, but they could not be used for bottling malt liquids owing to the formation of foam, by which the regular working of the apparatus was impaired. Many eorts were made to provide an apparatus by which beer, ale, &c., could be bottled Awithout the formation of foam, but without success.

This invention is designed to furnish a bottle-filling apparatus by which bottles can be rapidly filled without Vinterference by the Vfoam formed in the bottling; and the invention consists of a bottle-filling apparatus which comprises twov closed receivers, one being located above the other, the first receiver being connected to the keg or other receptacle which contains the liquid to be bottled, while the second receiver is provided with a numberV of Siphon-tubes, towhich the bottles to be filled are applied. f The. first receiver is provided with a fioat-valve and connected with the keg containing the liquid to be bottled by a vent-tube, so that the air or gas in the same is automatically returned to the keg. The second receiver is provided lwith an automatically-operated float-valve by which the supply of liquid -from the first receiver is automatically established and interrupted and the quantity of liquid filled into the bottles controlled. The bottles are applied to spring-actuated Stoppers on the Siphon-tubes and to supporting-bars, said stoppers being connected with the vent of the tirst receiver by vent-tubes, so that the may be.

air in the bottles is transmitted, as the filling proceeds, to the keg from which the liquid is supplied or to the first receiver, as the case The invention consists further of certain details of construction, which will be fully .describedhereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents aperspective viewof myimproved bottle-filling apparatus. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the closed bottle-filling receiver, with its Siphon-tubes, a portion of the same being broken off to show the float-valve at the interior of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section,drawn on alarger scale, showing the connection of the Siphon-tube with the closed receiver. Figs. 4. and 5 are vertical transverse sections ot' the bottle-filling receiver, showing the same respectively in the act of filling a bottle, and after the bottle is removed froml the Siphon-tube. Fig. 6 is a detail front elevation of the foam-collecting receiver, a portion of the same being broken off to show the interior construction, and Fig. 7 is a diagram, said diagram showing the connection of .the bottle-filling apparatus with the keg or barrel from which the liquid is to be supplied.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts. i v Referring to the drawings, A and A are the two closed receiving vessels, which are made of cylindrical, oval or other cross-section, and preferably constructed of copper, galvanized sheet-iron or other suitable material. The heads a, a. are riveted to the fianged bodies of the receivers A, A', and tightly connected with the sarne by suitable packing-rings. Both receivers A, A', are mounted on a supporting-frame B, the receiverA being supported at a greater elevation than the receiver A and connected by pipe I) with the keg orv other receptacle X, the liquid from which is to be bottled. A second pipe b leads from the head of the upper receiver A to the lower part of the lower receiver A', said pipe being provided with a stop-cock bi so as to turn onor close the communication with the upper receiver A.

The upper receiver A is provided intermediatelybetween the inlet pipe b and the outlet-pipe b l with a suitable strainerV d that serves for collecting the foam which iskformed in the receiver A, so as to prevent the same from passing tothe lower receiver A. A float-valve D is guided by suitable brackets d in the upper part of theupper receiver A, said float-valve serving to close an outlet-pipe D that is connected by a tube D2 with the vent-bung of the keg or other reservoir X from which the liquid is drawn. When asuf- IOO cient quantity of liquid is supplied to the receiver A so that the float-valve D of the same is raised for closing the outlet-tube D', no air'or carbonic acid gas which accumulates in the upper -part of said receiver can pass to the keg or other receptacle X, so that by the counter-pressure of the aerit'orm fluid in the upper part of said receiver, the supply of liquid thereto is automatically interrupted until a sufticient quantity is drawn from the same into the lower receiver A', whereby the float-valve D is lowered and opens the outlettube D', and the air and gas accumulated in the upper part ofthe receiver A' can pass o again. q

The lower receiver A' is provided with a number of Siphon-tubes E, which are connected in an air-tight manner thereto, as shown in Fig. 3, said Siphon-tubes having a certain play at their point of connection with the lower receiver A', permitted by the construction to be hereinafter described. The lower ends of the inner legs of the siphon- Icubes E are curved so as to form contact with a small plate or strip of rubber e, which is applied to the bottom of the receiver A', said plate or strip serving for the purpose of closing the lower ends of the inner legs of the siphon-tubes when no bottle is applied to the outer legs of the same. Theouter legs of the Siphon-tubes E are connected by helical springs e' with a fixed horizontal bar e2 arranged above and extending longitudinally of the top part of the receiver A', and are provided with sliding and spring-actuated stoppersf which are arranged on said legs and are adapted to close the bottles to be filled, when they are placed over said exterior legs. By inserting the exterior legs of the Siphon-tubes into the bottles, the springactuated stoppers f are pushed back against the tension of their springs]C until the rim ot` the bottle-mouth arrives at the next horizontal rest or barf', which is arranged at the front part of the receiver A', as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The connection of the siphon-tubes E with the receiver A' is made by means of a longitudinally arranged packing-plate e3, which is retained on the outside of said receiver by means of a slightly-curved metallic plate e4 attached by screw-posts e5 to the top of the receiver, as shown in Fig. 3. .The openings in the receiver A' and in the covering-plate e4 for each Siphon-tube are made somewhat larger than the opening in the packing-plate or strip es. On each siphon-tube E is arranged, at the point where it passes into the receiver A', a sleeve e6, which passes through the openings in the receiver, elastic-plate and clamping-plate, and is provided with a ilange elat on e end, and with an exterior screwthread at the lower end. The flange e7 rests on the upper side of the packing-plate e3, and within the opening of the clamping-plate e4, while an elastic ring or washer es is applied to the lower side of the same, the latter being tightly pressed against the packing-plate by means of a screw-nut e9, so that said packing-plate and the ring e8 are held between the collar e7 of the sleeve c and the tightening screw-nut e9, whereby a tight connection between the Siphon-tube E and the receiver A' is obtained and the former thereby left free to oscillate on the receiver, so that its lower inner end maybe applied to or removed from the elastic plate e at the'lbottom of said receiver. When a bottle is placed on the exterior leg of a Siphon-tube E and hung onto the bottle rest or supporting-barf', the weight of the bottle overcomes the tension of the spring e' and causes the oscillating of the Siphon-tube on Iits connection with the' packing-plate e3, so that the inner end of the Siphon-tube is moved away from the elastic plate e, as shown in Fig. 4. The liquid passes through the Siphon-tube into the bottle until the liquid in the .bottle is on a level with that in the receiver A', when the supply to the bottle is interrupted. The bottle is then removed for being closed. As soon as the filled bottle is removed from the bottle-rest or supporting-bar f', the spring e' raises the outer leg of the Siphon-tube and presses the inner end of the same against the elastic-plate e, so that the Siphon-action is thereby interrupted.

The lower receiver A' is provided at the inner end of the supply-tube b' with a. float-governed valve g, the spindle of which is guided in suitable bracket-arms g* at the interior of said receiver. A safety valve g' is arranged at the top part of the receiver A', said satety- V valve being set to a certain pressure so that whenever the body of'air or gas accumulated in the upper part of such receiver is under too great a pressure, a quantity of the air or gas can escape until the desired pressure is established. The liquid is supplied from the upper receiver A, and, as it rises-in the lower receiver A', it gradually lifts the float g2 of the valve g and closes said valve when the -level of the liquid arrives at its maximumheight. As soon as any part of the liquid in the receiver A' is drawn off by the siphontubes` the level of the liquid in the same falls and the supply valve g is automatically opened, so that a supply of liquid is established. When, by the quick removal of the bottles from the Siphon-tubes, the quantity of liquid withdrawn from the receiver A' is equal to that supplied to the same from the upper receiver A, the level of the liquid remains at the required point, so that the liquid is continuously supplied without the closing of the valve g. An experienced bottler can connect the bottles with the Siphon-tubes and remove the tilled bottles successively at such a speed that hardly any interruption in the supply of liquid to the receiver takes place.

The stopper fon each Siphon-tube E, which closes the mouth of the bottle while the 11- ing action takes place, is connected by a small vent-tube f2 with the outlet-pipe D of the up- IIO per receiver A, so that the air in the bottles is conducted through the vent-tubes f2, either into the upper part of said receiver, or, when the float-valve D is closed, through the outlet-tube directly to the keg from which the liquid is supplied.

ByA referring to Fig. 7 it will be observed that the keg is supported at a higher elevation than the receiver A, so that the liquid is -supplied under pressure to the latter and from the same to the lower receiver A. t

If desired, the pressure in the keg may be increased by a suitable pump, so that the lower receiver A is always supplied with liquid up to the required level, until the su pply is automatically interrupted by the action of its iioat-governed valve g.

The operation of my improved bottling-apparatus is as follows: A number of bottles are properly cleaned and placed near the apparatus. One after the other is placed on the exterior legs of the Siphon-tubes E and supported by its neck on the bottle rest or supporting-bar f located between the receiver A and said legs. By the weight of the bottle, the Siphon-tube is oscillated and the inner end thereof moved away from the elasticplate e of the receiver A', so that the filling action immediately commences. The supply of liquid to the bottle is continued until the u level of the liquid in the neck of the bottle is place.

equal with the level of the liquid in the receiver A', when the further supply of liquid is automatically interrupted, as the liquid in the neck of the bottle cannot rise above the liquid in the receiver. Consequently no spilling of liquid in Iillin g the bottles takes The bottle is then removed from the exterior leg of the Siphon-tube and the liquid in said leg is discharged into the bottle while the same is removed, so that every bottle is filled exactly to the required extent, ready for corking. The next bottle is then placed .on the exterior leg of the Siphon-tubel and filled in the same manner. As the foam and surplus pressure of the liquid is removed from the same by its passage through the upper receiver A, no foaming takes place in the lower receiver A', so that consequently the bottles can be filled by being hung in succession on the exterior legs of the siphontubes, the supply of liquid keeping pace with thellling, so that the filling action takes place with great rapidity, and a skilled bottler is able to till a large number of bottles within a given time. When the bottles give out, the supply of liquid to the receiver A' is interrupted by the closing of its float-valve g, which closes the supply-pipe b in a reliable and automatic manner. When the filling of the bottles is to be continued, they are again hung on the exterior legs of the Siphon-tubes E, whereby the level of the liquid in the receiver A' is lowered again and thereby the supply-valve g opened so that the supply of liquid to the lower receiver from the upper receiver is resumed. By the arrangement of the upper foam-retaining receiver A, which is interposed :between the lower bottle-filling receiver A' and the keg fromA which the liquid is supplied, the clogging of the bottle-lling apparatus by the foam generated by the passing of the beer or other fermented liquid through the receiver is prevented, and thereby the operation of the apparatus rendered reliable andeective.

The apparatus is also adapted, when built on a larger scale, to the racking-oft of beer or other fermented liquids from storage-casks in breweries to the shipping kegs by which the beer is sent to the customers. In this case, one keg after the other is applied to the siphon-tubes and filled by the apparatus inthe same manner as the bottles, the kegs being then bunged as soon as filled, so that the racking-off of beer into the shipping kegs is thereby greatly expedited and connected with less difficulty than the methods at present in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-T l. The combination of an upper foam-re taining receiver adapted to be connected with the keg or other receptacle containing the liquid to be bottled, a gas-outlet-pipe connected with said receiver, a float-governed valve for automatically closing said pipe, the iioat of said valve being located in said receiver, a second receiver located below the first receiver and connected therewith by a supply-pipe, one or lmore Siphon-tubes arranged in the lower receiver and adapted to receive the bottles on the exterior leg of the same, and means for automatically opening or closing the inner end of the supply-pipe, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, of an upper foam-retaining receiver adapted to be connected with the keg or other receptacle containing the liquid to be bottled, a strainer at the lower part of said receiver, a second receiver located below the foam-retaining' receiver, a supplypipe connecting the upper receiver below the strainer to the lower receiver, one or more Siphon-tubes arranged in the lower receiver and adapted to receive the bottles, and means for automatically opening or closing the inner end of the supply pipe, substantially as ,set forth.

3. The combination of a foam-retaining re ceiver connected with the keg or other receptacle containing the liquid to be bottled, a valved gasoutletpipe in said receiver a strainer at the lower part of said receiver, a second receiver located below the foam-retaining receiver, a supply-pipe connecting the upper receiver below the strainer t`o the lower receiver, one or more Siphon-tubes arranged in the lower receiver and adapted to be oscillated by the bottles, so as to supply the liquid to the same, and an automatically oper- IOO IIO

ated float-governed valve at the inner endof the supply-tube of the lower receiver, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of afoam-retaining receiver provided with a valved-gas-outlet-tube connected with the keg or other receptacle from which the liquid is supplied, a second receiver located below the first receiver, a supply-pipe connecting the upper receiver with the lower receiver, one or more siphontubes arranged on the lower receiver and provided with Stoppers and vent-tubes connecting the Stoppers with the gas-outlet-pipe of the upper receiver, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a filling-receiver provided with one or more oscillating Siphontnbes, of a packing for each Siphon-tube at the point where it leaves the receiver, said packing consisting of a packing-plate suitably retained on the outsid'e of the receiver,

a screw-threaded hanged sleeve on the Siphontube, and a screw-nut on said sleeve, between zo which nut and the flange of said sleeve the packing-plate is clamped, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a filling receiver' provided with one or more oscillating Siphontubes, springs for connecting the Siphon-tubes with a fixed bar on said receiver, means for closing the inner ends of the Siphon-tubes when they are swung outwardly by said springs, of a packing for each Siphon-tube at the point where it leaves the receiver, said packing consisting of a packing-plate attached by a covering-plate to the top part of the receiver, a screw-threaded sleeve on the Siphontube a screw-nut'on said sleeve and a washer interposed between the elastic plate and the screw-nut, substantially as set forth. Y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST GRAP.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, K. BRENNAN. 

